Automatic phonograph



Feb. 6, 194. MAURER 2,189,077

I AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAPH Filed Aug. 27, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 6,1940. F, MAUR 2,189,077

AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAPH Filed Aug. 27, 1937 Sheets-Sheet 2 &

Feb. 6, 1940. H,- F, MAURE 2,189,077

AUTQMATIC PHONOGRAPH Filed Aug. 2'7. 193'! 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ,f jfi I 12E T-lllnmrr I i v 16' 1 m I r Hnlnunnunmumnm L Ill. Q MM Feb. 6, 1940.H; i. 'MAURER 2,189,077

I AUTOMATIQ PHONOGRAPH Filed Aug. 27, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Feb. 5,1940.

H. F. MAURER AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAPH Filed Aug. 27, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet '5v zvwniag 34W 75 77W,

Patented Feb. 6, 1940 UNITED} STATES.

AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAAPH Howard E.

signor to The Ohio Application August 2'7,

Maurer, North Tonawanda, N. Y., as-

Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, North Tonawanda, N.

Y., a corporation of 1937, Serial No. 161,305

9 .Claims. (01. art-40R,

This invention relates generally to automatic phonographs and moreparticularly to certain new and useful improvements in phonographs ofthe multi-selective type,

6 It has for one of its objects to provide improved means for supportingthe record carriers in stacklike fashion at one side of the turntabletogether with simple and reliable means for effecting the selectivemovement of the record carriers to and.

10 from a position in operative relation with the turntable.

Another object of the invention is to improve the selective mechanism ofphonographs of the multi-selective type.

A further object of the invention is to provide a multi-selectivephonograph having means for cancelling selections once made, butwhichmeans is so designed and constructed as to prevent the cancellingof selections during the automatic se- 2 lection of previously selectedrecords.

Other features of the invention reside in the construction of partshereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings:-

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the chassis of a multi-selectivephonographembodying my improvements. Figure 2 is a rear elevationthereof Figure3 is an' end view of the same. Figure 4 is an enlargedperspective view of a selector shaft and associated mechanism. Figure 5is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 5-5, Figure 3. Figure 6 isa fragmentary sectional elevation showing the record carrier hubstructure and associated selector mechanism for swinging the carrier toand from the position in operative relation to the turntable. Figure 'lis a horizontal section taken in the plane of line 1-1, Figure 6. Figure8 is a fragmentary'top plan view of the phonograph. Figure 9 is anenlarged fragmen- 40 tary vertical section taken on line 9-9, Figure 3.

- Figure 10 is a transverse vertical section taken substantially in theplane of line Ill-40, Figure 9.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views.

Referring now to the drawings, l5 indicates the platform or. supportingframe of the phonograph chassis on which the working parts of the pho-'nograph mechanism are mounted and which chassis is usually mounted in acabinet not shown, my invention being an improvement on themulti-selective phonograph disclosed in the Wilcox Patent No. 2,002,236,dated May 21, 1935. Rising above the platform is a vertically-movableturntable l6 carried by a spindle H which is guided in and extends belowthe platform. Also mounted on the latter is the customary tone arm orreproducer l8, and mounted on the platform at one side 'of the course oftravel of the turntable are a plurality of pivoted record carriers l9normally disposed in stack-like fashion adapted to 6 be selectivelyswung horizontally to a position over the turntable, whereby the latter,upon being elevated, picks the record from the selected carrier andbrings it into play position with the needle of the reproducer. therecord is completed, the turntable is lowered and the played record isdeposited on its carrier, after which the. latter is swung to itsposition in the record stack.

Suspended from the bottom of the platform I5 is an electric motor whichdrives the moving parts of the phonograph, its shaft 2| being journaledin suitable bearings formed in a bracket 22 and having a worm 23 thereonmeshing with a worm wheel 24 which transmits motion to theturntable-spindle l1 .to rotate the turntable This motor shaft also hasa worm 25 which trans- 'mits motion through a suitable clutch to a camshaft 26 through the medium of a worm wheel 21, this cam shaft beingjournaled in a suitable frame 28 depending from the platform andprovided with cams 29, 30 and 3| which automatically control,respectively, the selective mechanism for predetermining the selectionof a given record which has been preselected, the swinging of theselected carriers to a position over the turntable and the raising ofthe turntable to pick up the selected record from its carrier and bringit into engagement with the needle of the reproducer so that the recordmay be played. These cams also govern the return movement of theserespective parts to their initial position after the playing of therecord and simultaneously with the return of the selected carrier to thestack, the tone arm is likewise restored to its initial position, as inthe Wilcox patent.

The selector mechanism controlled by the cam 29- consists of a selectorshaft 32 journaled in the frame 28 in substantially parallel relation tothe cam shaft 26 and. having a combined pinion and ratchet 33 looselymounted thereon. Also loosely mounted on this selector shaft alongsidethe pinion is a wheel 34 to which is pivoted a springpressed pawl 35normally in engagement with the teeth of the pinion. Cooperating withthe pinion is a gear segment 36 for intermittently actuating theselector shaft 32 to record-selective positions, said segment beingloosely pivoted on a stud shaft 31 and including an adjustable arm 38likewise fulcrumed on said stud shaft and After the playing of 10.

the selective movements of the selector shaft 32.

A spring 42 applied to the segment tends to swing it downwardly ortoward the axis of the cam shaft .26:

Projecting radially from selector shaft 32 is a pin 43 and projectingfrom the'face of the wheel 34 is a companion pin 44 which is adapted toabut against said radial pin 43. Coiled about the selector shaft 32 is atorsional spring 45, one end of which is secured to the shaft while itsopposite end terminates in an arm 46 normally bearing against that sideof the pin 44 opposite to that which abuts against the radial pin 43. Atits rear end, the selector shaft is provided with a selector cam 41which functions to control the selection of the records, that is, itfunctions to control avertically-adjustable means hereinafter describedfor engaging one or another of the record carriers which have beenpre-selected. At its opposite or front end the selector shaft isprovided with a substantially radial stop arm 46 arrangedin the path ofa plurality of selector rods or push pins 49 corresponding in number tothe records and disposed in an annular row at the front end of themachine and guided in the front end of the frame 28 and in a platestructure suitably supported from that frame as seen in Figure 3. Thearm 48 and push rods 49 function to control the amount of rotation ofthe selector shaft 32, the rods being longitudinally movable, eithermanually, or otherwise, to a record-selectlngpositioninto the path ofrotation ofthe selector arm 48, so that as the latter is rotated withthe selector shaft it successively encounters one or another of theselected rods to thereby arrest the further turning of. the selectorshaft and pre-set the selector cam 41 to in turn position thevertically-adjustable means at the elevation 'for selecting the recordcorresponding to that of the selected push rod. During the cycle oroperations of the machine, the'cam 29 engages the roller 36, therebycausing the pinion 33 and the wheel 34 "to be rotated'as a unit and thepin 44 of the latter to in turn actuate the arm 46 of the torsionalspring 45 and thereby provide a coupling to effect the turning of theselector shaft 32 therewith until such time as its arm 46 encounters thefirst selector push rod'49 in-its path. At such time'the furthermovement of the selector shaft is arrested, the cam 41 is set in acorresponding position for selecting the chosen record, and any furthermovement imparted by the cam 29 to the sector 36 is transmitted idly tothe torsional spring 45 by the wheel-pin 44 and spring-arm 46 to storeup energy therein to return the wheel 34 and its asshaped to support therecords and they are provided with hubs 5| which are recessed on theirposition over the turntable are 39 associated with the gear segmentunderside, as indicated at 62, and which are individually supported oncompanion collars 63 mounted in juxtaposed relation on an upright postor shaft 54 disposed at one side of the tumtable and extendingdownwardly through the platform I 5. The collars are somewhat thickerthan the carrier hubs 5| and such collars bear one upon another so thateach tray is individually journaled and supported on its own collarindependently from the others and can swing freely to and fromrecord-selecting position. Each hub is .provided with a segmental recess55, in its topside and arranged in such recess is-a pivoted link 56connected by a coil'spring 51 with a bracket 56 secured to and risingfrom the plat-'- form and tied at its upper end to the corresponding endof the hub-bearing post 54. Pivoted to the latter to swing in an arcuatepath about the carrier-hubs is a yoke 59 which is supported from the topof the post so as to be held against movement axially of the post andwhich is provided with a longitudinal slot 60 inwhich' is guided avertically-adjustable coupling finger 6| secured to avertically-adjustable upright rod 62 rising from and supported on aguide member 63 slidably the turntable, are in vertical alinement toform one continuous groove in which the coupling finger 6| is adapted totravel during the vertical adjustment of the rod 62 to a selectiveelevation. I v

The vertical adjustment of the record-carrier actuating rod 62 and theswinging of the yoke 69 to in turn swing a selected carrier to aeffected by the cams 41 and 36, respectively. To this end, avertically-swinging lever 65 is disposed in operative engagement withthe selector cam 41, being pivoted at 66 and having its free endconnected to the slidable guide member 63 from whichthe rod 62 rises, sothat when the latter is elevated to a pre-selected position, its finger6| registers with the corresponding notch 64 of the selected recordcarrier-19. Cooperating with the cam 30 for effecting the swinging 'ofthe yoke 59 is a lever 61 whose free end is connected by a link 66 withthe lower end of such yoke, so that durin'g'the cycle of operations theyoke is swung about the axis of the carriers to in turn swing thecoupled selected carrier over the turntable. Thereafter, the turntableI6 is elevated to pick the record from the selected carrier into playingengagement with the needle of thetone arm I 6. This elevation of theturntable is accomplished by the cam 3| through the medium of a lever"having parallel link connections 19 with a bearing member 1| upon whichthe lower end of the turntable-spindle I1 is seated.

' Associated with the selector rod or button assembly oi the phonographis a selector-rod canceiling mechanism which functions to permit thecancellation of any pre-selection made by the patron at the push buttondial except during that cycle of operations of the machine when arecordcarrier is selectively actuated to and from a selec: tor orplaying position. The selector rods have stop collars 12 thereon forlimiting their movement in either direction to selective andretractivepositions by contact with the opposite sides of the platestructure 66, as shown in Figure 10; Intel-posed between said platestructure and the frame 28 is a shiftable cancelling member or plate 13common to all of the selector rods and having guide pins 14 extendingrearwardly therefrom and guidedin openings-15 formed, in the frame 28.The selector rods 49 extend freely through openings in the cancellingplate and in their projected or selected positions, the inner collars I2of the buttons abut the front face of the plate I3. Extending axiallythrough the plate structure 59 and plate I3 isamanually-actuatedcancelling button or rod I6 whose inner end abuts onearm of a rock lever 11 pivoted intermediate its ends at I8 to the frameand havingits other arm abutting a projection I9 extending rearwardlyfrom the plate I3. Normally, when the cancelling button is depressed itfunctions to shift the plate I3 outwardly so that any projected selectorbuttons are automatically returned to their initial non-selectingpositions.

For the purpose of preventing such cancellation or restoration of theselector buttons 49 when the record-changing mechanism is operating,there is provided a latching device for locking the cancelling plate I3against movement. This latch preferably consists of a shiftable camplate89 disposed adjacent one of the guide pins I4 at the rear side of theadjoining portion of the frame 28 and having a slot 8| at one endthrough which an attaching screw 82 extends and a notch '83 at'itsopposite end through which the adjoin-. ing guide pin I4 extends in themanner shown in Figures 9 and 10. Said pin 14 has a stop or peg 84thereonwhich bears against the rear face of the cam-plate 89, theolatterbeing laterally offset or inclined as indicated at 95 so that when thelatch-plate is shifted laterally toward such pin 14 it will create awedge-like action and cause the cancelling-plate to be shifted axiallyinward to latch, the cancelling-plate in a position so that thecancelling button 16 is locked against movement to a cancellingposition. A spring 86 applied to the cam-plate 89 serves to constantlyurge it to an unlatched position where cancelling of selections ispermitted. The projection or actuation of the cam-plate to its latchedor cancelpreventing position is preferably effected during the turningof the cam shaft 26 to effect the record-changing operation, and to thisend a cam 81 is fixed on the front end of such shaft for engagement withthe outer end of the cam-plate to project it into latched positionduring the period of the cycle of operations when the record trays arebeing moved to and from record-selecting positions.

During the complete cycle of the record-changing operation, that is,projecting a carrier from the stack, playing the record and returningthe carrier to the stack, the cam shaft 26 makes one revolution and forthis purpose a suitable clutch mechanism 88 is provided between theshaft and the continuously rotating worm wheel 21, the clutch beingreleased when the turntable reaches its playing elevation and the camshaft remaining stationary until the record has been played, after whichthe clutch is automatically engaged to again start the cam shaftrotating to lower the turntable and restore the played record and itscarrier to the stack. Cooperating with a cam surface on the shiftablespring-pressed member 89 of the clutch is an actuating arm 99 mounted onan oscillatory shaft 9I having a radial rod 92 projecting therefrom inoperative engagement with a lug 93 formed on a lever 94 pivoted to saidshaft and having a spring 95 applied-thereto for urging it in adirection to bring its lug 93 in abutting engagement with the rod 92. Atits upper or free end this lever is engageable with.

the customary tone arm trip mechanism indicated generally by the numeral96. The spring 95- is also connected to an L-shaped lever 91 pivoted tothe oscillating shaft 9| and engaging a pin 98 projecting from theturntable actuating cam 3|. In the playing position of the graph, thepin 98 on the turntable-actuating cam holds the lever 91 in a positionto place the spring 95 under tension, so that when the record hascompleted its play, the tone arm trip mechanism is rendered operative torelease its pivoted trip dog 99 from the lever 94, whereupon said springactuates such lever to in turn rock the shaft 9| and release theactuating arm 99 from the shiftable clutch member 89 and allowing theclutch to be automatically engaged by the action of the spring I99. Theclutch-actuating lever 99 is held up out of engagement with theshiftable clutch member by a cam I9I associated therewith and a pin I92applied to such lever, in which position the parts are in readiness tobegin the next cycle of operations. This phonograph is usuallycoincontrolled and in the position of the parts just discussed, thecircuit of the motor 29 is opened through the medium of the customarymagazine switch (not shown) actuated by some moving part of therecord-changing mechanism when the record carrier, bearing the playedrecord, has been, restored tothe stack, all as fully disclosed in theaforesaid Wilcox patent. When another record is selected at the pushbutton dial,the motor circuit is again closed and the selected recordbrought out for play. At the end of this selecting cycle, the clutchactuating arm 99 swings down by gravity into engagement with the camsurface of the shiftable clutch'member 89 to effect the release of.theclutch and at the same time rock the shaft 9| in a direction to swingthe lever 94 to its initial position in engagement with the dog 99 ofthe tone arm'trip mechanism in readiness to be tripped when the selectedrecord has completed its play. After the record has been played the tonearm trip functions to restore the parts to normal, as previouslydescribed, and simultaneously therewith the tone arm I9 is swung back toits initial position by a link connection I 93 associated with the lever61 which actuates the yoke 51 for swinging the carriers to and from therecord-stack.

The tripping of the dog 99, upon the completion of playing a record, maybe effected by a pawl I94 applied to and extending radially from thelower end of the movable tone arm post I94 and engaging a notched rodI95 of the trip assembly 96.

After the stop arm 48 has contacted a selected or projected selector rod49 and the corresponding record is brought out for play, such arm isshifted axially of the selector shaft 32 through the medium of aresilient cam-member I96 and a cooperating revolving actuating arm I91fixed on the cam shaft 26 to restore the projected selector rod to itsinitial retracted position, after which a coil spring I98 abutting saidstop arm 48 returns it to initial position ready to contact the nextprojected selector rod. To prevent any frictional tendency of the stoparm, upon its return, to move a selector rod with it, I provide astar-shaped or bevel-toothed wheel I99 on the selector shaft and a leverI I9 having a tooth-like member I II which is movable into and out ofenagement between the teeth of such wheel to impart a slight backing-upmovement to such shaft.

phono- Applied to the lever I I is a pin or roller I l 2 with which thecarrier-swinging cam 30 is adapted to engage for controlling itsmovements into and out of engagement with the toothed wheel I09. Thus,after the stop arm 48 contacts a selector rod 49, the lever H0is'subsequently moved by.

the cam 30 into an adjoining tooth of such wheel,

. the beveled edge thereof causing a recession or backing away movementof the selector shaft and its stop arm from the selector pin to efi'ecta clearance between these parts and eliminate any tendency of projectinga selector rod upon the restoring movement of the stop arm by its springIf desired, a brake 3 carried by a fiat spring tor the like may beprovided f r engagement with the periphery of the wheel $4 for holdingit to the position which it is driven by the segment 36, so that whenthe pinion 33 is rotated to m its normal position such wheel andselector shaft 32 will be held stationary relative thereto.

' For the purpose of effecting an elevational adjustment of therecordcarrier-hub-engaging finger 8|, the latter is preferably threadedon the SI upper end of the vertical rod 62, as shown in Figure 6, whilethe lower end of this rod is supported by a cotter-pin H5 in the hubportion of the uide member 63. By removing the cotter-pin and rotatingthe rod 62 in one direction or the 30 other while holding the finger 6|,the latter will be raised or lowered to accordingly adjust it to theposition desired, after which the rod is again set in place by thecotter-pin. I claim as my invention: 1. In an automatic phonograph, aturntable,

a plurality of superposed record carriers having notched hub membersdisposed at one side of the turntableand projectible to and from aposition over the same, said notches being alined vertically to form acontinuous groove in the normal retracted position of the carriers, anda verticallyadjustable selector rod disposed alongside said hub membersand having a coupling finger thereon engageable with said notch-forminggroove for adjustment to a plurality of elevations toselectively'position said finger in the notch of one or another of thecarriers, and a laterally-swinging support for said selector rod to movea selectively engaged carrier to a position over the turntable. 2. In anautomatic phonograph, a turntable,

a plurality of superposed record carriers having notched 'hub membersdisposed at one side of the turntable and projectible toand from apositically to form a continuous groove in the normal retracted positionof the carriers, a yoke pivoted to swing about the axis of thecarrier-hubs and having an upright slot therein, a selector rod uided onsaid yoke to move therewith and adjustable relatively thereto to aplurality of elevations and having a coupling finger thereon guided insaid yoke-slot and engageable with said notch-forming groove toselectively engage the notch of one or another of the carriers, meansfor governing the selective elevation of said selector rod, and meansfor actuating said yoke to swing a selectively engaged carrier to aposition over the turntable. V

3. In an automatic phonograph, a plurality of individually selectablerecord carriers movable into and out of a record-playing position, andmeans for controlling the selection of .the record carriers including aseiector shaft having a gear I and ratchet means loosely mountedthereon,

tion over the same, said notches being alined vergear and ratchet meanspermitting the full dismeans controlled by said shaft for actuating saidcarriers, a torsional spring applied to said shaft having one endconnected thereto and its other end in yieldable coupling engagementwith said gear and ratchet means to effect the rotation of the shaftwhen the latter is rotated in one direction, means for rotating saidgear and ratchet means a definite distance in a direction to rotate.said shaft, and adjustable selector means corresponding in number to thecarriers and movable 10 to positions for stopping the rotation of saidshaft at predetermined record-selecting points, the yieldable couplingbetween the shaft and the tance of travel of said gear and ratchet meansas determined by said rotating means.

4. In an automatic phonograph, a shaft for controlling the selection ofrecords, means for rotating said shaft comprising a gear loosely mountedon said shaft, a ratchet bearing-member loosely mounted on the shaftalongside said gear, pins projecting from said shaft and saidratchet-bearing-member in normal abutting relation, a torsional springapplied to said shaft having one endconnected therewith and its otherend terminating in a yieldable arm abutting the pin of saidratchet-bearing-member to cause the rotation of said shaft when saidgear and companion ratchet member are rotated in one di-' rection, meansfor'rotating said gear and ratchet member a definite distance to rotatesaid shaft, the torsional spring and the pin on said ratchet memberconstituting a driving connection for the shaft, and adjustable selectormeans for stopping the rotation of said shaft'at pre-determinedrecord-selecting points, the yieldable arm of said spring permitting theidle full distance of travel of said gear and ratchet-bearing-m'emberrelative to the selector shaft as determined by said rotating means.

5. In an automaticphonograph, a shaft for controlling the selection ofrecords, means for rotating said shaft comprising a gear loosely mountedon said shaft, means connecting said shaft with said gear to rotate saidshaft when the gear is rotated in one direction, a segment for rotatingsaid gear adefinite distance in a direction to rotate said shaft, ashaft having a cam thereon for actuating said segment, a cam-engagingmember applied to the segment for radial adjustment relative thereto,and means for adjusting said cam-engaging member to a.

set position of adjustment. u

6. In an automatic phonograph, a plurality of record carriers, aturntable, means for simultaneously selecting a plurality of records tobe played, means governed by said selecting means for successivelymoving said record carriers with the records selected to a position oversaid turntable, means operatively engageable with the selecting meansfor restoring them to inoperative position should a patron desire tocancel selections once made, latch means operatively engageable withsaid restoring means for rendering the latter inoperative to cancelpre-selections at predetermined times, and means operatively associatedwith the carrier-actuating of record carrieraa turntable, meansincluding a plurality of selector rods corresponding in number to therecords for simultaneously selecting a plurality of records to beplayed, means 75 governed by said selector rods for actuating thecarriers of the records selected to arr-operative position over theturntable, and means operatively engageable with the selector rods forrestoring those once selected to their normal nonselecting positionswhen it is desired to cancel such selections, comprising a cancellingbutton, means disposed in operative relation to said selector rods andactuated by said button for restoring pre-selected selector rods totheir normal position,-latching means engageable with and for preventingactuation of said selector rod restoring means at a predetermined timeduring the cycle of operations of the phonograph, means for normallyurging the latching means to an unlatched position and a part movablewith said carrier-moving means and engageable with said latching meansfor moving it to its latched position.

8. In an automobilephonograph, a plurality of record carriers, aturntable, means including a plurality of selector'rods corresponding innumber to the records for simultaneously selecting a plurality ofrecords to be played, means governed by said selector rods for actuatingthe carriers of the records selected to an operative position over theturntable, and means operatively engageable with the selector rods-forrestoring those once selected to their normal nonselecting positionswhen it is desired to cancel such selections, comprising a cancellingbutton, means actuated by said button for restoring preselected selectorrods to their normal position, a latch plate disposed for latchingengagement with said selector rod restoring means at a predeterminedtime during the cycle of operations of the phonograph to render thecancelling button inoperative to cancel selections once made,

cam means associated with the carrier actuating means for moving saidlatch plate to and retaining it in its latched position during theselective movement of a carrier, and means for yieldingly urging saidlatch plate to an unlatched position.

9. In an automatic phonograph, a plurality of record carriersselectively movable to and from a record-playing position, and means forcontrolling the selection of records comprising a combined rotatable andaxially-shiftable member, a plurality of individual means correspondingin number to the record carriers and selectively movable-,to positionsfor operative engagement with and to stop the rotation of said rotatablemember at predetermined selective positions, means engageable with saidrotatable member for shifting it axially in one direction at apredetermined time to restore the then.

operatively-engaged individual selecting means vto its initialnon-selective position, means operatively connected with said rotatablemember for yieldingly urging it in the opposite direction, a wheelmovable with said rotatable member and having bevel-ended teeth thereoncorresponding in number to the individual selector means, a lever havinga tooth-like element thereon movable at predetermined times into and outof latching engagement with said toothed wheel, and means operativelyconnected with said lever for governing its movements, said tooth-likeelement during its latching stroke, encountering a corresponding bevelededge of one of the wheel-teeth to turn it and said rotatable member in adirection to free the latter from engagement with a given individualselector means.

HOWARD F. MAURER.

